Kim Schmitz

A 2012 Google translation of German Wikipedia page for our man of the moment

Kim Schmitz , and Kim Dotcom or Kimble (* 21 January 1974 in Kiel ) is a in New Zealand live internet entrepreneur and activist with German and Finnish citizenship, [1] who was convicted several times for insider trading and fraud, data espionage and computer manipulation. [ 2] [3] A criminal case for alleged copyright infringement of his company Megaupload is pending.

Schmitz was the mid-1990s, for the first time as a self-proclaimed hacker to the public. A sensation caused his demonstration of blue-box method in the WDR - TV Program Monitor . He was a member of the then flourishing mailbox scene with its mailboxes Beverly Hills BBS and BBS House of Coolness , in which among other warez ( Black copies of computer programs) was traded. He is the news of the users of its box are recorded and that way of hackers have learned inside information about vulnerabilities in the phone system and software. [4] Pay he settled among others with stolen calling card data, which he then sold. [4] later he ran a party line , which is the forum of Phreakern developed and in which he again by listening to its users gathered to date information. Schmitz started based on this information in the production of magnetic cards with fake payment information. In a search warrant on suspicion of black copies in the mailboxes were with him "hundreds of counterfeit credit and telephone cards" found. [5] Schmitz moved under the pressure of the criminal investigation, the sides and gave information about the black copy and credit card scene investigators continue . He worked in the result for the lawyer Günter Freiherr von Gravenreuth and provided this information on black copies. He was also active as a test purchaser for trademark violations reveal. [6] This work was recognized in the process in his favor, so that in 1994 for fraud, computer fraud, professionally gangs receiving stolen property and misuse of titles was sentenced to a youth sentence of two years probation . [7]

Dot-com era [ edit ]

According to Schmitz he got from a friend from the scene hints at a weak point in the GSM system from German Telekom mobile D-1 (now T-Mobile ). In exchange for silence, he received a consulting contract with DeTeMobil. [5] With the proceeds from the consulting agreement Schmitz founded in Munich, the company Protect Data Consulting [8] , which he finally to 80 percent in the TÜV Rheinland sold. Schmitz kept a 20 percent stake. The limited liability company filed for bankruptcy in 2001. [9]

In a 2001 interview, he claimed, systems of Citibank hacked and 20 million U.S. dollars to Greenpeace have referred to what Greenpeace denied by reference to their account reports. [10] His lavish lifestyle Schmitz showed the multiple participation in the Gumball 3000 - rally cars such as a Mercedes Brabus E V12 , chartered yachts and publishing online videos that him in exotic locations or at the Monaco Grand Prix show. [10]

Insider Trading [ Edit ]

In 2001, Schmitz promised, the ailing company letsbuyit.com with a large sum of money to back on its feet. This payment should the newly formed venture capital firm Kimvestor AG [11] carried out. The company caused a scandal by alleged lack of legal capacity, incomplete information brochures for the shareholders , shares without voting consistently, once and once absagende supervisory boards as well as dubious liquidity. [12] The announced investment was never made. Since the course was already rocketed one day before the announcement of the interim financing, took the prosecutor to investigate for insider trading. Although Schmitz was convicted in the course of the second time, the sentence was again suspended on probation. [13]

He subsequently scored on various public campaigns. So he sat, for example, a reward for Osama bin Laden from [14] , claiming that the FBI work. The organization he founded Young Intelligent Hackers Against Terrorism (Yihat), which was used to penetrate terrorist networks and computers could register any success. Instead, that was site of the group itself from other hackers repeatedly manipulated . [15]

In January 2002, he fled to Bangkok , Thailand , and built a new website, which could be understood as a suicide notice. Instead, he presented himself at the specified date as King Kimble the First, Ruler of the Kimpire . [10] On 18 January 2002 he was arrested in Thailand [16] and comes with its consent, to Germany. He was on 27 May 2002 by the District Court of Munich of insider trading to one year and eight months in prison for probation and sentenced 100,000 euros fine. [17] The court found Schmitz guilty on insider trading with shares of the company letsbuyit.com NV to about one million euros achieved profit have. [18]

Other activities [ Edit ]

After his conviction, Schmitz moved to Hong Kong [10] and announced several new businesses, including the company Trendax Inc. , which should generate with the help of artificial intelligence guaranteed market profits. [19] Furthermore, his lifestyle aroused the attention of the media. End of 2004, Schmitz was planning a seven-day road rally called Ultimate Rally for 2006, [20] but never held.

Early in 2007, the Web presence of Schmitz's previous projects, such as Kimpire and Trendax , and its website kimble.org removed from the Web. The end of 2007 published reports it to the Sharehoster Megaupload brought together. [21] Schmitz gave the scene portal gulli.com money in the form of a line item to allow this connection will not be published. [22]

In February 2010, concluded Schmitz a lease for the Chrisco Mansion [23] in Coatesville with the option off, New Zealand to acquire most expensive private property worth 15 million euros later. [24] In New Zealand swing Schmitz under the name Kim Dotcom on. [25 ] According to an article of the magazine Investigate the April 2010 Schmitz is in the company archives of Hong Kong under the name Kim Tim Jim Vestor recorded. Supposedly, he acts as CEO of, among other Megaupload Ltd.. and Megarotic Ltd.. [26]

As co-founder of Megaupload Schmitz was 2011 because of alleged copyright infringement by the company Perfect 10 , which is in the range of copyrighted erotic works and media sectors, to 5 million U.S. dollars damages sued. [27] [28] [29] The process of ending a comparison of an unknown amount. [30]

In an online interview with the New Zealand Herald said Schmitz as "Kim Dotcom," the New Zealand Immigration Service had decided in consideration of his various crimes and planned business investment for obtaining a residence permit. [31] The acquisition of several properties it has, however, by the New Zealand Overseas Investment Office failed. [32] [33]

Arrest and procedure [ Edit ]

On 19 January 2012 was Schmitz arrested along with three other people in New Zealand and him because of alleged copyright violations in connection with Megaupload opened an arrest warrant from the United States and extradition of the FBI. [34] Megaupload is the copyright holders a loss of more than 500 added millions of dollars. [35] If convicted in the U.S. threaten Schmitz imprisonment up to 20 years. Two attempts to leave the remand on bail, were with the note that there is too high a risk of flight, refused. [36] [37] All mega-services have been shut down. [38]

On 22 February 2012 granted a New Zealand judge Kim Schmitz the release on bail, since in any case the whole Schmitz property was confiscated, and for his family, there was no risk of flight. [39] In March rose a New Zealand judge the maintenance, the Schmitz receives monthly from its assets, to 60,000 New Zealand dollars (then about 37,000 euros). Schmitz also won back his Mercedes. [40] On 28 June 2012 decision, the New Zealand High Court , that the searches and seizures were unlawful and the information obtained by data would not be released to the American investigators may be, [41] because the search warrant was constructed illegally and the sharing of seized media to the FBI and the export to the United States against an explicit statement conflicted. End of August 2012 Schmitz reached before the High Court the issue of 6 million New Zealand dollars from his frozen assets, and the right to be able to sell more cars confiscated. The money will finance Schmitz his livelihood as well as the attorney's fees. [42]

In early March 2012, the United States has requested Schmitz 'delivery, [43] to the hearing because of the decision of the High Court was postponed several times and finally postponed until March 2013, to resolve the outstanding legal issues. [44]

In the United States defends itself against Schmitz prosecution and appeals to the fact that the U.S. corporate criminal law did not allow prosecution of foreign companies that maintain any offices in the United States. [45]

In an interview from 3News journalist John Campbell, on the 1st March 2012 was broadcast, Schmitz had any allegations of itself. He invoked the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which protects Internet services when they act upon the request of rights holders against copyright violations. Megaupload was also more than one hundred companies offered the option of self-access databases and to delete files. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act , however, Megaupload have forbidden myself to proactively search for injuries. Megaupload is not responsible for the user-uploaded files, a fact which is confirmed by every uploader must have. [46] [47]

The New Zealand Prime Minister John Key publicly apologized end of September 2012 that Schmitz did not receive it enjoys in New Zealand protection against unlawful prosecution. [48]

Megabox and megaKey [ Edit ]

Schmitz had in December 2011 - three weeks before his arrest - the music marketing service Megabox . started, should accrue to the artists directly 90% of its revenue, which was to attack the business model of the music industry [49] As a result, caused the Universal Music Group, the deletion of the Music Videos Mega Song from YouTube , in which Schmitz and famous artists as among other Alicia Keys and Kanye West collaborate and promote Megaupload, [50] which, however, now there can be recalled is. [51] In a press statement said Schmitz of a "campaign at Megabox to sabotage and block innovation ". [49] In addition, planned Schmitz, all mega provide services, free of charge for users who megaKey had installed a software on all Web pages in the Internet advertising placed by the webmaster Advertising would be replaced by Schmitz. [49]

Private [ Edit ]

Schmitz, who claimed to be an "intellectually gifted high school" at the boarding school Ploen to have visited stored in reality the Heinrich Harms school, Ploen secondary school. During his school years he spent two years in the dormitory Rohwedder , a facility for young people with behavioral problems. [52]

He is married and has five children. [53]